Sourcing clarity in the fog of ideas. Lighting your way to ideas.
In-person and across the Bay.
The Bay's intellectual scene is rich, varied, and hard to find.
Burnoff brings it into view. Expand your horizon.
58 upcoming lectures and talks in the North Bay. 16 are in the next seven days; the list is updated daily.
Everything in the North Bay →Lectures across the Bay →The full calendar →Burnoff for iPhone →
More in the North Bay Book talks 72Workshops 32
Lectures elsewhere San Francisco 358Berkeley 209Oakland 56Stanford 130Santa Cruz 63East Bay 280Peninsula 16South Bay 171
An eye-opening guide to understanding and appreciating poetry. John Timpane, author of *Poetry for Dummies*, 2nd Edition, explores how to read, analyze, and write poetry for anyone from curious beginners to practicing writers and devoted poetry lovers. Perfect for aspiring poets and anyone interested in deepening their engagement with the form.
A conversation about Harold Pinter's play Betrayal with Carey Perloff, artistic director of American Conservatory Theater, and Larry Eilenberg, contemporary theatre expert. The discussion explores the themes and dramatic structure of one of Pinter's most celebrated works.
Learn about the diversity of pollinators in the Bay Area and how native plants and gardening practices can support them. Margaret Flaherty, a California Native Plant Society member and certified California Naturalist, draws on her experience volunteering at Native Here Nursery and leading ecological restoration projects in the Berkeley hills. She brings practical knowledge from her recent Ecological Restoration Field class and her work teaching plant biology to local students.
A panel discussion with three accomplished YA horror writers — Yuvashri Harish, Stephanie Kuehn, and Hannah Jayne — exploring their work in the genre. Held at Copperfield's Books just before Halloween.
A public science talk on sea lion biology, behavior, and global diversity hosted by the Marine Mammal Center, a leading marine research and conservation organization in the Bay Area. Learn about these charismatic marine mammals, their ecological roles, and the challenges they face in ocean ecosystems worldwide.
Examining the rise and fall of the Voting Rights Act from its triumphant passage in 1965 to its recent evisceration by the Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais decision, Kevin T. Morris explores the ongoing struggle to protect voting rights in America. Morris contextualizes the landmark 1965 legislation within decades of civil rights history and analyzes the legal and political forces that have systematically dismantled its protections.
A double panel discussion featuring participants from the Jack Mason Museum's ongoing oral history projects. The first panel explores Growing New Food Systems: Innovative Agriculture and Land Conservation in West Marin County; the second, Building Community: Young People Transform West Marin in the 1970s. Panelists include Dennis and Sandy Dierks and other local participants whose lived experience shaped the region's agricultural and social landscape. Hosted by The Dance Palace and moderated by Dewey.
Comedian and Monty Python founder Eric Idle discusses his memoir *Idle in Provence: A Brief History of Thyme*, an equal-parts memoir and travelogue exploring his time in the French countryside. In conversation with author Dave Eggers, Idle reflects on a life of comedy, creativity, and misadventure. Hosted by Book Passage.
Twenty writers pitch their unpublished books in one-minute rounds, judged by publishing professionals Arielle Eckstut and David Sterry. Modeled on American Idol but gentler, Pitchapalooza gives aspiring authors direct feedback on their pitch and a chance to connect with agents, editors, and fellow writers. Open to writers at any stage of development.
Daniel Peña, Pushcart Prize-winning writer and Associate Professor at the University of North Texas, discusses his essay collection How to Look Away, which explores how fringe elements of his Texas childhood—AM radio, conspiracy theories, post-Cold War paranoia—came to dominate American political discourse and enabled tolerance for human rights abuses against Latin American migrants. Through journalism, cultural criticism, and memoir, Peña reflects on American citizenship, belonging, and complicity, asking: what compels us to look away from these abuses, and how do we wake ourselves into action?
A monthly gathering for local women committed to democratic participation and community action. Democracy Hour provides a space for thoughtful conversation, shared learning, and collective organizing around civic issues. The program features inspiring speakers, film screenings, issue spotlights, and action sessions. Bring your lunch; free and open to all.
Julie Orringer, bestselling author of *The Invisible Bridge*, discusses her new novel *Luna, Phoenix, Queen*—a work exploring infidelity, literary provenance, and storytelling's transformative power. Orringer's fiction is known for its intricate narratives spanning continents and eras, weaving together historical and contemporary themes. This is an opportunity to hear directly from the author about her creative process and the ideas animating her latest work.
Learn how to craft a powerful pitch to land an agent, secure a book deal, or succeed at self-publishing. Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry, co-authors of *The Essential Pitch*, share strategies for one of publishing's most critical but underestimated tools. Ideal for aspiring and established writers seeking to navigate the publishing landscape.
Prof. Thomas Targett separates fact from fiction in depictions of outer space, examining how Hollywood's portrayals in Star Trek, Star Wars, and other films and television shows compare to actual astronomy. A fun and informative exploration of where science and entertainment intersect.
Parini Shroff, bestselling author of *The Bandit Queens*, discusses her new novel *Some People*, a witty and poignant story about a man on the brink of divorce forced to care for his injured future-ex-mother-in-law. Over seven days of recuperation, Nathan Whitlock navigates complex family dynamics, cultural misunderstandings, and unresolved tension with Malti Patel while her daughter is away. Shroff explores themes of love, forgiveness, and the search for understanding and acceptance amid personal upheaval.
Paul Rogat Loeb discusses his anthology *The Impossible Will Take a Little While*, which collects powerful voices from around the world to inspire ordinary citizens to keep working for change in an age of despair. The collection celebrates hope, courage, and sustained activism, offering readers inspiration and practical wisdom for long-term social engagement.
Jacob Weisberg, editor of Slate and author of *Profiles in Cowardice*, examines the people and institutions that failed to resist Trump's agenda. Drawing on the book's devastating reckoning with political and moral capitulation, Weisberg explores how leaders across government, media, and business abandoned democratic principles when it mattered most. A sharp inquiry into institutional failure and the cost of silence.
What if Earth came with a user manual? David Gottfried, founder of the Living Building Challenge and author of *Regen360*, argues that humanity's environmental crisis stems not from a lack of care but from a broken operating system. He introduces the Earth Code, a practical framework for regenerative living and systemic change. Gottfried explores how rethinking our relationship with planetary systems can address climate, biodiversity, and resource challenges.
The Short Plays Festival returns with new work from Playwrights Lab writers exploring AI, neighborhood etiquette, a dog aspiring to sing opera, a grandmother's sex advice to her granddaughter, and a king's quest to secure his legacy. Performed by Bay Area actors and directors. In collaboration with the Playwrights Lab.
Wildfires, atmospheric rivers, power outages—emergencies can strike at any time. This emergency preparedness series brings together local first responders, government officials, and community members to help families plan for everything from inclement weather to manmade disasters. This month's session covers preparing the whole family, from young children to elders, for resilience in crisis. Presented by the City of Mill Valley Emergency Preparedness Commission, Southern Marin Fire District, and Neighborhood Response Groups.
A science talk on shark biology and behavior, debunking myths about these animals as villains. Learn how large sharks actually eat, their lifespans, migration patterns, and ecological roles. Presented by Wonderfest, a Bay Area science education nonprofit.
Mark Danner, one of America's foremost political thinkers and author of *Crossing the Rubicon*, discusses essays spanning fascism, the war on terror, Abu Ghraib, Dick Cheney, the Iraq War, and the Bush-Gore and Trump elections. A wide-ranging exploration of power, democracy, and the defining crises of the post-9/11 era from a leading voice in political journalism and analysis.
A 200-year history of Mill Valley's baylands, from Miwok settlement through agricultural and post-war residential transformation. Curt Oldenburg, a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientist and long-time Mill Valley resident, traces how the Sycamore area between Locust and Camino Alto evolved from tidal marshland to farmland to suburban community, examining the creeks, sloughs, and human communities that shaped the landscape.
An intimate fireside conversation with Melissa Gonzalez, entrepreneur and author of *The Purpose Pivot*, exploring what it means to pivot toward purpose after life's pivotal moments. Hosted by Grace Kraaijvanger, the evening features honest discussion about fear, grief, clarity, and the courage required to rebuild around what matters most, followed by a live reflection workshop exercise designed to help attendees get clear on their own crossroads and next steps. Light bites from 6:30 PM, conversation at 7 PM.
A monthly breakdown of significant AI news stories and their real-world implications, led by Bridget K. Burke, an AI expert with 30 years of global technology experience and a degree from Columbia University. Burke distills complex developments into accessible analysis, exploring what's happening in AI, why it matters, and how it might affect daily life. Designed to encourage critical thinking and discussion around breakthroughs, controversies, and emerging trends. Free, friendly, and open to anyone curious about how artificial intelligence is shaping the future.
A one-mile walking tour of downtown Novato exploring new housing developments, transit connections, and infrastructure improvements for walking and biking. Led by Jessie Rountree, Marin Resilience Manager at Greenbelt Alliance, the tour offers a firsthand look at existing, proposed, and in-progress developments while discussing how to build a safer, more connected community focused on climate solutions. Participants will observe real urban change and contribute ideas for neighborhood improvement.
Three She Writes Press memoirists—Robin Rosenbluth, Rosanne Annoni, and Georgine Hodgkinson—discuss reckoning with the past and self-discovery through memoir writing. The panel explores how writers transform formative relationships with mothers and daughters into narrative, navigating memory, family dynamics, and personal truth.
A reading and conversation with graphic novelist Emil Wilson about his debut graphic novel *The Nightingales*, hosted by graphic novelist Sophie Yanow. The story follows Lou Miller in spring 1985 as her family takes in Jim, a recently evicted coworker, and his two dogs. As Jim's arrival disrupts their small-town Oregon household, Lou discovers an unlikely bond with him while her mother grows uneasy. A tender exploration of compassion, resilience, and how one person's life can alter another's.
Four authors share their publishing journeys—covering both traditional and self-publishing paths—and offer insider tips on getting books to market. Kier Holmes and guests answer audience questions about the routes, timelines, and strategies behind successful publication.
An exploration of the craft of children's picture book writing with Monica Wesolowska. The session examines the structural and stylistic conventions that govern picture books and how creative constraint can actually fuel imaginative storytelling. Learn both the established rules and the strategies for breaking them effectively.
Spurred by Christopher Nolan's film *Oppenheimer*, Phil Cousineau explores Homer's *Odyssey* as a timeless meditation on heroism, journey, and homecoming. Drawing on classical scholarship, film, and contemporary resonance, Cousineau illuminates how ancient epic speaks to modern questions of purpose and transformation. A talk for anyone drawn to literature, mythology, and the enduring power of storytelling.
Tom Singer, a Jungian analyst, psychiatrist, and author, reflects on a lifetime of writing, scholarship, and creative exploration in psychology, myth, and culture. He traces the emergence of "recombinant visionary mythology"—a creative practice of discovering new meaning through the continual recombination of experience, symbol, and story. Singer, a 2023 Milley Award recipient, has published more than a dozen books and spent decades illuminating how stories, symbols, and imagination shape both inner life and contemporary culture. Part of the Creative Practice Series, featuring Mill Valley Milley Award recipients exploring creativity across the arts.
Biologist and environmentalist Spencer R. Scott, cofounder of Solar Punk Farms in Guerneville, explores how we might envision a more hopeful collective future amid ecological crisis. Weaving memoir and scientific inquiry, Scott chronicles his transition from biotech research to building a queer regenerative community and education hub, reframing capitalism as an adaptive environment and documenting the process of re-adapting to ecological reality. He argues that only through community and collective action can we create survival—and joy—beyond capitalism. A free public talk at Mill Valley Public Library.
A conversation with Sarah Cavanaugh, author of *Peaceful Exit*, exploring how we communicate about illness, caregiving, grief, loss, and aging. Cavanaugh, a writer, award-winning film producer, and founder of the Peaceful Exit movement, draws on her podcast interviews with figures like Anne Lamott and Alua Arthur to offer practical insights on planning, care, and navigating life's transitions. In conversation with Grace Kraaijvanger, founder of The Hivery.
An evening exploring local government through poetry, storytelling, and conversation. Featuring Jim Schutz, Mai-Ling Garcia, and Tonia Lediju.
Legal scholar and Strict Scrutiny podcast host Melissa Murray discusses her New York Times bestselling guide to understanding the U.S. Constitution for contemporary readers. Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law at NYU Law School and coauthor of *The Trump Indictments*, explains how to read the Constitution as a document that places sovereignty in the people, with each amendment annotated with historical context and modern applications. The talk explores how citizens can engage with constitutional interpretation as courts shape its meaning and the nation's future.
How does the brain construct conscious visual experience from patterns of light and neural activity? This talk explores perception as 'controlled hallucination' — the brain's active inference process that shapes what we see based on expectations, attention, and prior experience. Presented by Wonderfest at HopMonk Tavern.
A monthly emergency preparedness series co-hosted by the City of Mill Valley Emergency Preparedness Commission, Southern Marin Fire District, and Neighborhood Response Groups. This session focuses on assembling and updating your emergency go bag to prepare for wildfires, atmospheric rivers, power outages, and other local hazards. Local first responders, government officials, and active community members lead the discussion on practical disaster-readiness strategies relevant to the time of year and recent incidents.
A history of the Tamalpais Valley Improvement Club, one of a dozen civic improvement organizations that flourished in early 20th-century Marin County. Built on marginal land in 1920 from lumber salvaged from a military rifle range, the clubhouse became the community's social and political center, particularly vital before municipal government arrived. Lissa McKee, former state architectural historian, draws on independent research into Tamalpais Valley's transportation and ranching history to explore how this modest building shaped local civic life across generations.
An monthly AI news briefing and discussion with Bridget Burke, an AI expert with 30+ years in technology. Burke breaks down significant headlines in artificial intelligence—breakthroughs, controversies, emerging trends—into accessible pieces, exploring their real-world implications and impact on daily life. Designed to foster critical thinking about rapidly evolving technologies, the session encourages attendees to understand not just what is happening in AI, but why it matters and how it might shape the future.
AI expert Bridget Burke explores the rapidly expanding world of artificial companions—from chatbots and virtual assistants to robotic pets and social robots. Drawing on research into human attachment and AI design, Burke examines why people develop genuine feelings for artificial entities, what these relationships reveal about human loneliness and connection, and whether AI companionship widens or replaces real human bonds. The discussion considers both benefits (practicing difficult conversations, comfort for isolated individuals) and deeper questions about what we lose when we outsource intimacy to machines.
Learn practical tips for preparing beds, soil, and timing to achieve a bountiful summer harvest. Presented by Jenine Stilson, UC Marin Master Gardener and long-time member of the Edibles Guild, and Keri Pon, UC Marin Master Gardener and Edibles Guild veteran. Both are contributing writers for Backyard to Belly and have extensive experience with edible gardening in Marin County.
A richly illustrated lecture on traditional ocean navigation in the Pacific Islands, where navigators rely solely on stars, ocean swells, winds, and other natural phenomena to traverse vast distances without modern instruments. Steve Thomas explores this ancient maritime knowledge system largely unknown to Western audiences, documenting the practices and wisdom of master navigators. Hosted at Book Passage in Corte Madera.
New York Times bestselling author Cara Black discusses her novel *Huguette* and the research process behind it. Black will share images and stories from her Paris research, including locations like Boulogne-Billancourt and family-run cafés that inspired the novel. Attendees will learn how to incorporate setting detail into their writing, conduct on-site research, and create believable narratives across time. Black is author of the Aimée Leduc series and WWII thrillers *Three Hours in Paris* and *Night Flight to Paris*, and has won the Médaille de la Ville de Paris and multiple award nominations.
Two accomplished poets explore how their writing cultivates belonging through compassion, presence, and attentiveness to the present moment. Jane Hirshfield, an acclaimed poet, essayist, translator, and Zen practitioner, has received a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Academy of American Poets Fellowship, and in 2024 became the first English-language writer and first woman to receive the Zhongkun International Poetry Award. Colleen Morton Busch, author of the debut collection *Smolder* and *Fire Monks: Zen Mind Meets Wi-Fi*, brings her own practice of mindfulness to contemporary verse. Together they discuss how poetry and spiritual practice intersect in the work of attending fully to life.
A discussion of *Bogland*, a book exploring peatlands, climate change, and ecological science. Merritt R. Turetsky, a leading researcher on permafrost and peatland ecology, discusses her work with science journalist Ed Yong, author of *An Immense World*. The event combines environmental science expertise with accessible science communication.
An immersive exploration of transhumanism and human enhancement technologies—from genetics and AI to neural interfaces and longevity science. Hosted by technology strategist Bridget K. Burke with special guests, this event examines both the promise and the ethical questions raised by emerging technologies that could treat illness, restore abilities, or reshape normal human differences. When does treatment become enhancement? Who decides what counts as a limitation worth overcoming? The discussion invites critical thinking about the future of human bodies, brains, and identity.
What happens when AI preserves—or recreates—a life after death? Join AI expert Bridget Burke for an exploration of digital afterlife technologies: memory boxes and archives, AI-assisted memoirs, recreated voices, digital avatars, and robots. The talk asks critical questions about digital identity ownership, family consent and privacy, and where preservation ends and invention begins. Burke will discuss practical ways to preserve what matters and the ethical implications of AI versions of ourselves speaking in our voices, answering questions posthumously, or appearing as avatars. Come ready to think imaginatively about memory, technology, and what we want to survive us.
Mitochondria — ancient bacterial organelles present in nearly every human cell — supply the energy that powers life and maintain critical cellular functions. Researchers have identified mitochondrial dysfunction as a key driver of aging. This talk explores how these cellular powerhouses work, why they fail with age, and what their dysfunction reveals about the aging process itself. Hosted by Wonderfest, a Bay Area nonprofit dedicated to public science engagement.
An evening of holiday storytelling with award-winning comedian and storyteller Don Reed, creator of Redwood Nights: Storytelling Under the Stars and author of the forthcoming memoir Here's Donnie! A cast of gifted storytellers will share true stories celebrating the joy, surprises, mishaps, and meaning of the holiday season—some hilarious, some deeply moving. For adults and high school students only.
A science talk exploring recent news about primates — from legislative changes protecting apes in England to fascinating animal behavior stories, like the power dynamics within Japanese macaque troops. Part of Wonderfest's public science lecture series.
Veteran China expert and journalist Orville Schell discusses his investigation into China's prison labor network, the personal costs of reporting on state repression, and the enduring implications for human rights and press freedom. Schell brings decades of reporting experience and deep expertise in Chinese politics and society to bear on one of the most pressing geopolitical and humanitarian issues of our time.
Dr. Giulietta Octavio reads from and discusses her book Code Calm: How to Stand Your Ground Without Losing Yourself, exploring how cultivating greater awareness and self-understanding can help readers maintain boundaries and authenticity in challenging situations.
Where, when, and why do auroras appear? A Wonderfest talk exploring the Northern Lights and Southern Lights, the special geomagnetic conditions that recently made them visible across California, and when and where they might appear again.
A lecture on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) and the methods used to detect alien life. Since 1960, radio telescopes have been the primary tool for searching for ET signals, but decades of silence raise questions: are we looking in the wrong places, using the wrong methods, or making anthropocentric assumptions about how alien intelligence would communicate? Hosted by Wonderfest at HopMonk Tavern.
Can we understand biology at the atomic level using electron microscopy? Most human macromolecules are too small to image clearly in conventional noisy, low-contrast photographs. Researchers have now adapted a 1930s breakthrough in light microscopy—phase contrast—for use in electron microscopy, enabling unprecedented visualization of a cell's molecular machinery. Hosted by Wonderfest, a Bay Area nonprofit dedicated to public science.
Why do people so often fail at pursuing happiness, despite it being a universal human goal? This talk explores what modern psychology reveals about the gap between our happiness aspirations and actual outcomes, and whether the pursuit itself might be the problem. Hosted by Wonderfest, a Bay Area science lecture series.
An exploration of creative potential and reinvention for women and non-binary people in midlife and beyond, examining how to challenge societal narratives of invisibility and creative limitation. Two authors discuss their own journeys of artistic growth and the possibilities for deepening creative practice at any life stage.
No events match your filters.
